Four good options for judge

October 5, 2012

As a practicing lawyer for more than 30 years, I know how important is is to have a judge who treats everyone fairly and equally. On Election Day, the North Country will be voting for four justices of the New York State Supreme Court. Elections are by judicial district, not by county. Our judicial district covers 11 North Country counties from Schenectady to the Canadian border.

The state Supreme Court is the trial court for most civil (i.e., non-criminal) lawsuits. Civil rights cases, foreclosures, employees' rights and injury cases are some of the cases litigated in the Supreme Court.

There are four highly qualified candidates whom I support in this election for Supreme Court justice. The first is attorney John Silvestri of Essex County. He has been a lawyer for 30 years. He was a prosecutor in Warren County. He has been town attorney. He practices many areas of civil law. John Silvestri has the experience, intelligence and temperament to be a fair and impartial Supreme Court judge. As a resident of Essex County, he MAY be assigned to sit in Essex, Clinton and/or Franklin County. His website is www.silvestri2012.com.

I also support City Judge Jeffrey Wait of Saratoga Springs (www.judgewait2012.com), Family Court Judge Christine Clark of Schenectady (www.judgeclark.com) and Family Court Judge Mark Powers of Schenectady (www.judgepowers.cloudaccess.net) for Supreme Court justice. These three judges will probably be assigned to the southern part of the Fourth Judicial District when they win.

John Silvestri, Judge Jeffrey Wait, Judge Christine Clark and Judge Mark Powers are very well respected in the legal community. They have good legal minds. They are the type of fair, competent and hard-working people we need as judges to provide equal justice for all. I am voting for them because they are the most qualified people for the job, regardless of political party.